Contributors

Spencer Brooks and his team of mission-driven technology experts have provided Close Concerns with online technology consulting through his company, Brooks Digital, since 2011. After studying Computer Science at Boise State University, Spencer worked with the State of Idaho as a web development specialist and interim webmaster before venturing out to start his own digital agency for mission-driven organizations. In his free time, he moonlights as a professional drummer, recording on albums in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, as well as filling in on tour for the occasional band.

Michael Dougan is Gastroenterology Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and a postdoctoral associate in Hidde Ploegh's lab at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. He received his MD and PhD from Harvard Medical School in 2011. Michael has had a longstanding interest in the interaction between the immune system and cancer. He conducted his dissertation research in Dr. Glenn Dranoff's lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he studied novel approaches to enhancing anti-tumor immunity. In addition to his research, Michael has been a teaching fellow for several graduate and undergraduate courses; his teaching was recognized in 2008 by Harvard's Levenson Award. Michael received his BA from Amherst College in 2002, where he majored in Chemistry and English, graduating summa cum laude (both majors) and Phi Beta Kappa. Michael has worked with Close Concerns part-time since 2006, primarily on Closer Look publications and also serving as an advisor to countless Close Concerns full-time associates.

Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, FACP is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Joslin Diabetes Center. He is also the former Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). At the ADA, Dr. Gabbay led many transformational initiatives, including guiding the ADA to a deeper focus on primary care through the establishment of the Primary Care Council, comprised of leading primary care organizations in the US, and the ADA Primary Care Alliance of over 2000 primary care practices committed to transform diabetes care. Throughout his vibrant career, he has had many accomplishments as a basic science researcher, developer of patient communication tools, creator of the first broad-scale diabetes registry, designer of care management training programs, digital health innovations, and leader of one of the largest primary care transformation efforts in the US around the Patient Centered Medical Home. Along with an extensive peer-reviewed publication record, he has appeared in and is frequently quoted by the popular press, including the New York Times, CNN, the Washington Post, and NPR.

James S. Hirsch, a former reporter for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, is a best-selling author whose most recent book is "WILLIE MAYS: The Life, the Legend", the first biography of Mays written with his cooperation. Hirsch has also written "CHEATING DESTINY: Living With Diabetes", "HURRICANE: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter", "RIOT AND REMEMBRANCE: America's Worst Race Riot and Its Legacy," and "TWO SOULS INDIVISIBLE: The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam." Jim has an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a graduate degree from the LBJ School of Public Policy at the University of Texas. He lives in the Boston area with his wife, Sheryl, and their children, Amanda and Garrett. Jim has worked as an editor and contributor to Close Concerns since 2004

Elaine Young joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in Fall 2020 and returned as a full-time Associate after graduating from Dartmouth College in June 2022 with degrees in Neuroscience and Hispanic Studies. She was promoted to Director of Strategy in June 2024. At Dartmouth, Elaine conducted obesity research investigating the effects of exercise on diet choice. She also spent a summer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles volunteering and learning about clinical trials in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes. Outside of school, Elaine played cello in the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and taught cello and piano as president of Musical Empowerment, a national nonprofit club that provides students in school districts in New Hampshire and Vermont with free instruments and one-on-one music lessons. In her free time, Elaine enjoys snowboarding, skating on frozen ponds, and listening to film scores and songs from Broadway musicals.

Adam Brown started as a summer intern at Close Concerns in 2010, returned as a full-time associate in 2011, and held various leadership roles through 2019. In his role as the head of diabetes technology & connected care, Adam brought nearly two decades of personal experience with diabetes to all of his work – including extensive writing on CGMs, insulin pumps, automated insulin delivery, glucose meters, mobile apps, and wearables. He also served as a senior editor and regular contributor at diaTribe.org, where his acclaimed column (Adam’s Corner) has brought diabetes tips to over one million people since 2013. His first book, Bright Spots & Landmines: The Diabetes Guide I Wish Someone Had Handed Me, was published in 2017 and received immediate praise for its actionable advice on food, mindset, exercise, and sleep. To date, over 180,000 copies of Bright Spots & Landmines have been distributed via name-your-own-price downloads and purchases on Amazon. Adam has also presented at high-profile public venues, including FDA and NIH meetings, major scientific and technology conferences, and patient events. He graduated summa cum laude in 2011 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing concentrations in marketing and health care management & policy. Adam was a Joseph Wharton and Benjamin Franklin Scholar and completed his senior thesis on the motivational and financial factors associated with optimal diabetes management. He gained his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology at The Wright Institute, and is today a licensed therapist based in San Francisco’s Presidio, focused on diabetes and mental health – see more at helloAdam.org.

Mahima Chillakanti joined Close Concerns in 2022 after graduating from USC with a Master’s in Global Medicine and a Bachelor’s in Human Biology and is now attending David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. While at USC, she had been involved in multiple service organizations, including MEDLIFE, a nonprofit organization working to increase access to health care in under-resourced populations abroad; Science Outreach, a student-led science education program for elementary schools surrounding USC; and SC Project RISHI, student-run nonprofit organization committed to the sustainable development of rural India. Outside of her interests in global health and healthcare operations management, Mahima loves to play poker, complete the daily Wordle, and try out new restaurants!

Katie Lingen joined Close Concerns in 2022 after graduating from Amherst College, where she majored in Biology and is now attending the University of Michigan Medical School. As an undergraduate, Katie researched immunotherapy treatments for malignant breast and brain cancers at MD Anderson Cancer Center and wrote an honors thesis on the role of a novel kinase. Outside of research, Katie was a four-year member and senior captain of the Amherst Track and Field team, a tutor to students in the Biology department, and a volunteer at Get Us PPE, which seeks to equitably distribute PPE to those who need it most. In her free time, Katie loves to read, cook, and be outside!

Ashwin Chetty joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Yale University with a double major in Philosophy and Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry. Ashwin co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, and is now attending the Yale School of Medicine. At the Yale School of Medicine, Ashwin investigated kinase specificity between serine and threonine phosphosites using X-ray crystallography, and at AstraZeneca he developed a machine learning model to predict the photooxidative degradation of protein therapeutics. Outside of academics, Ashwin danced for the Yale bhangra team and organized hikes, movie nights, and large cooking sessions for the South Asian Society. At Close Concerns, Ashwin immersed himself in the world of diabetes and obesity, writing constantly about what he learned, and clarifying what his future in healthcare may look like. In his free time, Ashwin enjoys running, learning to cook, reading, and watching documentaries.

Claire Holleman joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Amherst College with a degree in Economics. Claire co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, and is attending Harvard Medical School. As a senior at Amherst, Claire completed an honors thesis looking at the impact of school-based health centers on education outcomes for underserved students. Claire also spent a summer at Boston Children’s Hospital conducting clinical research on the relationship between socioeconomic status and congenital heart disease. During her time in college, Claire was a four-year member of the women’s crew team and the captain of the club ski team. In her free time, Claire loves to be outside! Skiing, biking, and running are among her favorites, and she also immensely enjoys reading, eating ice cream, and exploring new places.

April Hopcroft joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating summa cum laude from Smith College, where she majored in Neuroscience and Spanish. April co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, based on her deep interest in public health. She researched approaches to treating postpartum depression among physicians in Buenos Aires, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on childcare providers and universities throughout Ohio. At Close Concerns, April deepened her understanding of diabetes and the different players in the US healthcare system to advance her career in public health. Following this opportunity, she became a lead writer for diaTribe.org. As a co-founder of Smith’s casual running club and a four-year member of the University of Massachusetts synchronized skating team, she continues to pursue these interests. In her free time, she can often be found running, biking, or hiking; she also enjoys listening to podcasts and practicing Spanish.

Armaan Nallicheri joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Computer Science. Armaan led the technology team at Close Concerns, and is attending the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Armaan researched whether circulating tumor DNA in urine could act as a noninvasive liquid biomarker for bladder cancer in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Armaan’s broad interests in medicine, business, and technology led him to intern at Aduro Biotech/Chinhook Therapeutics, where he joined the biomarker team to develop novel ELISA assays. He is passionate about making medicines affordable for those who need them the most, and thus was drawn to Close Concerns to learn more about and to contribute to work in diabetes, obesity, and public health. In his free time, Armaan loves to cook, run outside, complete the daily Wordle, and play with his dogs, Lucca and Blaze.

Hanna Gutow joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating from Swarthmore College with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies and a minor in Biology. Following her time at Close Concerns, where she led the technology team, Hanna joined Tufts University School of Medicine. As a senior at Swarthmore, Hanna completed her Peace and Conflict Studies capstone on utilizing community resources to improve maternal healthcare for rural women. She has also spent time researching Women’s Health at Stanford with the OBGYN Clinical Family Planning team. Hanna is passionate about health as a human right and was drawn to Close Concerns to learn more about diabetes and related public health challenges. Hanna was captain of her Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Swarthmore and enjoys traveling, eating good food, watching sports (football and the Tour De France are her favorites), and reading.

Katie Mahoney joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating from Williams College with a major in Chemistry and a concentration in Public Health. She is now a student at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Katie researched novel B-cell lymphoma drugs at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as well as best advance care planning practices in hospice organizations at the UCSF School of Medicine. Outside of her research, Katie was involved in the Rape and Sexual Assault Network, which supports survivors of sexual assault on campus, worked as a tutor in chemistry and biology, and mentored high-achieving, low-income high school students throughout the college application process as a Matriculate advising fellow. As a senior, Katie founded the Williams Appreciates Staff club to foster gratitude for staff and stronger student-staff relationships. In her free time, Katie enjoys hiking, cooking, doing yoga, and listening to podcasts.

Ursula Biba joined Close Concerns in 2019 after graduating cum laude from Tufts University with degrees in Biology and Community Health. She joined UCLA’s medical school in 2021. As an undergraduate, she researched how different psychosocial and systemic factors influence health outcomes as part of Tufts’ Psychosocial Determinants of Health Lab and as a clinical research intern at Massachusetts General Hospital. At Tufts, Ursula held positions on the Executive Boards of GlobeMed and The Tuftscope Journal, and served as a writing tutor with Tufts Literacy Corps. Her interest in exploring the different facets of health found outside of the clinical environment attracted her to the interdisciplinary work at Close Concerns. In her free time, Ursula enjoys listening to music and attending as many concerts as she can, traveling, and exploring new art museums.

Albert Cai joined Close Concerns as a Summer Associate in 2018 and returned as a Full-Time Associate in 2019. He graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2019 with a major in biomedical engineering. Aspiring to a career in healthcare, Albert came to Close Concerns in order to absorb knowledge about diabetes, obesity, and public health and to figure out where his future role might be in healthcare. As a native Southerner, Albert has particular interests in rural health and football. His favorite movie is Wreck-It Ralph. In his free time, Albert enjoys fishing, listening to country music, and reading.

Rhea Teng joined Close Concerns in 2019 after graduating cum laude with distinction from Yale University with a degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She is now a student at Harvard Medical School. As a senior at Yale, she completed her thesis research on studying the effects of m6A RNA modifications on blood system development and leukemia. Outside of the lab, Rhea immersed herself in the sustainable food scene at Yale by leading the pop-up restaurant group Y Pop-Up and heading the undergraduate beekeeping club Yale Bee Space. In her free time, Rhea can be found experimenting in the kitchen, reading poetry, or playing the cello.

Joseph Bell joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University with honors in Biological Sciences. He is now a medical school student at Wash U in St. Louis. As an undergraduate at Columbia, Joseph researched the mechanisms of human parainfluenza infection and later the neuronal underpinnings of long-term memory deterioration as part of laboratory projects at Columbia Irving Medical Center. Outside of academics, Joseph additionally studied jazz guitar at The Juilliard School as part of the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange program and managed a folk music venue for local NYC performers. He was a semi-finalist in the 2019 Herbie Hancock International Jazz Guitar Competition and has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Macy Gray, the GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble, and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra across the US, Japan, and Europe.

Kira Wang joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with a degree in psychology and minors in biology and chemistry. She is now a student at Harvard Medical School. At Duke, she wrote a senior thesis on the coping strategies of parents and youths with chronic illness and spent over two and a half years researching retinal imaging techniques in the Duke Eye Center. She also designed an educational resource for pediatric leukemia patients and worked as a chemistry teaching assistant and MCAT instructor. At Close Concerns, she was interested in merging her interests in healthcare and education to improve patient lives. In her spare time, Kira loves playing tennis, hiking, and searching for the best ice cream spot in every city.

Ani Gururaj graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Anthropology - Global Health and the Environment and a minor in Chemistry. He is interested in becoming a public health physician and held summer internships at Partners in Health sites in Boston and Haiti, the World Health Organization, and Novartis. He graduated from the University of Michigan and is a resident in family medicine at the University of Arizona. Ani is also passionate about amplifying the narratives of marginalized communities. He wrote a thesis on mental health outcomes among the Bhutanese refugee population and conducted independent journalism on resettlement policy through a fellowship at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. In his spare time, he loves playing any sport that requires a racket, traveling, and trying new restaurants.

Melissa An joined Close Concerns as an associate after graduating from Dartmouth College in 2014, with a major in Neuroscience and minor in the Anthropology of Global Health. She was promoted to Senior Associate in 2015 and focused much of her time on obesity and public health. She also served as the company’s Chief Technology Officer and was involved in leading conference planning, recruiting, and budgeting. Throughout her undergraduate years, Melissa explored her interests for global health by leading Dartmouth’s chapters of GlobeMed and China Care. In addition, she served as Executive Director of the Dartmouth Global Leadership Program and as a residential advisor. Melissa also conducted psychiatry research on treatment that addresses post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. Currently, Melissa is in medical school at the University of Missouri.

Dan Belkin joined the Close Concerns team in 2006 after graduating from Amherst College magna cum laude with a degree in Philosophy and worked full time with Close Concerns before starting medical school at Weill Cornell Medical College in 2007. At Cornell he was awarded both Honors in Service for his leadership at the medical student free clinic and Honors in Research for his work in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. He also won several research awards for this work. He has contributed to Diabetes Close Up and diaTribe and has attended various conferences globally for Close Concerns. He is a board-certified dermatologist who is fellowship-trained in cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery, and Mohs micrographic surgery. He is currently an Associate dermatologic surgeon, specializing in Mohs micrographic surgery, laser surgery, and cosmetic dermatology at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.

Ann Carracher joined Close Concerns in 2017 after graduating cum laude from Dartmouth College. As an undergraduate, she majored in Biology and Classical Studies, for which she spent three months in the Aegean studying Greek archaeology and completed a Presidential Scholars research project on the ancient craft of tablet weaving. During college, Ann spent off-terms studying adolescents with type 1 diabetes from the perspective of behavioral psychology, working on incentive-based behavioral interventions to improve glycemic control and learning about the psychosocial aspects of health. Ann was drawn to Close Concerns by her interest in pediatric endocrinology, prompted by her younger sister’s diagnosis in 2007. In her free time, Ann enjoys trying to cook healthy food, getting new passport stamps, and playing tennis.

Eric Chang became a member of Close Concerns in 2009 after graduating from Pomona College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Neuroscience. At Pomona, he received the Rena Gurley Archibald Prize, presented to the highest ranked student in the class of over 450 students. He spent the early years of his university life in the laboratory and clinic, investigating the therapeutic potential of homing endonucleases with Dr. Lenny Seligman at Pomona and volunteering at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Following a semester abroad in Beijing and Inner Mongolia, he developed a passion for holistic approaches to healthcare. This interest translated into his senior thesis research in which he examined the neuroprotective effects of Panax ginseng and its constituent active compounds. After developing an interest in regulatory policy at Close Concerns, he additionally completed a summer research internship at the US Food and Drug Administration in the Division of Psychiatry Products. Eric earned his MD degree from UCSF School of Medicine in 2015. He completed a preliminary internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is currently in residency in Radiation Oncology at UCLA.

Hannah Deming joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with a major in Biology and a minor in Public Policy. She wrote a thesis examining differences in the quality of care and outcomes uninsured patients incur when treated in a nonprofit or for-profit hospital. In the summers before her junior and senior years, Hannah performed computational neuroscience research with Dr. Paul Prucnal at Princeton University resulting in a publication. During the second summer she also performed clinical research in Cooper University Hospital's Emergency Department. Outside of the academic setting, Hannah played four years of varsity soccer and was a co-captain her senior year. She also organized and led science experiments for low-income children. She is now a fourth-year medical studentat UCSF.

Jessica Dong joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College with a BA in Biological Sciences and a minor in Environmental Studies. During her undergraduate years she devoted much of her time to biomedical research, completing a senior honors thesis investigating the structure and function of G0S2, a gene implicated in tumor suppression and the regulation of fat breakdown. In previous summers, Jessica volunteered as a Community Health Educator in the western highlands of Guatemala and worked as an Environmental Education Intern at the Audubon Naturalist Society. Outside of the classroom she has also participated in a range of women's interest groups; in her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and reading. She is now a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and completing a MD/MBA dual degree, on track to graduate in 2019.

Abigail Dove joined Close Concerns in 2016 after graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with highest honors in Neuroscience. She was awarded the Leo M. Leva Memorial Prize for a graduating student showing unusual promise in the field of biology and spent her undergraduate career heavily involved in basic neurobiology research, ultimately producing a thesis examining the capacity of social experiences to alter sleep and circadian behavior in the fruit fly. Abigail is inspired by Close Concerns’ core mission of providing synthesized insight on scientific issues as complex and consequential as diabetes and obesity; she learned to appreciate challenge and importance of communicating science effectively over several semesters of work as a biology and chemistry TA at Swarthmore. Her free time is spent reading, biking, and attempting to visit all 50 states.

Katelyn Gamson has been a contributor to Close Concerns since 2005-2006, when she worked for the company as an Associate. Katelyn graduated from Amherst College in 2005 with a degree in Chemistry; she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Katelyn's experience with diabetes is prodigious; in 2003, working under the famed Dr. Lois Jovanovic, she conducted clinical research at Sansum Diabetes Research Institute to develop an algorithm that would suggest insulin dosages for patients with type 1 diabetes. While at Sansum, Katelyn co-authored an article on the safety and efficacy of insulin analogs in pregnancy; this article was published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, with Katelyn as the primary author. While at Amherst, Katelyn was awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for her research on diabetes. Katelyn is devoted to community service, and in addition to her work with Close Concerns, she also worked as an AmeriCorps member of the National AIDS Fund, in Washington, DC from 2005 to 2006. Katelyn completed her medical school degree at UCSF and went on to complete her Internal Medicine residency and Chief Residency at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. She now works at Kaiser Permanente in Redwood City as a full-time hospitalist.

Helen Gao joined Close Concerns in 2015 after graduating with general honors from the University of Chicago. She majored in Biological Sciences with an Endocrinology Specialization and minored in History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine. In college, she spent three years with Health Leads, providing case management services to connect patients of community health clinic to resources to address their social determinants of health. She also spent her last year of college learning the ins and outs of Affordable Care Act implementation as a policy fellow for the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace. During her summers, she worked as a residential assistant for UChicago-run high school academic programs and pursued a social justice-focused internship with the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, exploring new places, and listening to audiobooks. Currently, she is a MD/MPH Candidate at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

Varun Iyengar joined Close Concerns in 2014 after graduating magna cum laude from Amherst College with an honors degree in Neuroscience. As a senior, he wrote a thesis characterizing spontaneous hair-cell activity and spike encoding in the zebrafish lateral-line system. In previous summers, Varun focused largely on building his research repertoire, volunteering in the motion laboratory at Shriner’s Hospital for Children and studying the effect of low oxygen tension on stem-cell chondrogenesis for articular cartilage repair at Oregon Health and Sciences University. During his undergraduate career, Varun was also active in the surrounding community, as a Community Engagement Leader for a middle school tutoring program and as a nurse’s aide in the telemetry ward of a local hospital. He wrote for the Amherst Student and was a member of the Ultimate Frisbee team. Pursuing this passion for sports, Varun also spent one summer working as a copy editor at ESPN. His free time is often spent reading, on running trails, or cheering for his hometown Portland Trailblazers.

Jenny Jin joined Close Concerns in 2006 after graduating Harvard College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Chemistry. During college she devoted much time to basic science research beginning in summer 2004 when she studied the organ-specificity of eukaryotic heat shock protein TCP-1 at the Nanotechnology & Astrobiology Research Group at NASA Ames Research Center. Subsequently, she joined Harvard Professor Greg Verdine's lab and worked on the crystallization of prokaryotic sporulation protein SpoIIIE. She received the Herchel Smith Undergraduate Research Fellowship to fund her research in summer 2005. In addition to her experimental work, Jenny has instructed in science as a Teaching Fellow for organic chemistry at Harvard. In college, she also served as captain and president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Kendo Club and organized the 8th Annual Shoryuhai Kendo Tournament in April 2004, the largest intercollegiate kendo tournament in North America. During her medical school training at UCSF, she studied the use of nano-aligned tubular conduits for the use of nerve repair in a rat model in Dr. Hubert Kim's lab. She completed her residency at the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Residency Program and was the Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. She completed her fellowship training in arthroplasty at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Currently, she is a practicing physician at the Joint Reconstruction practice at Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. She enjoys playing with her son Nathan, rock climbing, and hiking in her spare time.

Erin Kane joined Close Concerns in 2005 after graduating from Harvard College with a degree in History and Science, magna cum laude with highest honors in field, and a Certificate in Health Policy. At Harvard, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She also received the Detur Book Prize, awarded to the top 10 percent of the freshman class, and the John Harvard Scholarship for academic achievement. Erin graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2010. She worked at McKinsey & Company in Washington, DC, where she served a range of hospital, health system, and payor clients in public and private sectors. Erin has done research at the Joslin Diabetes Center, the Centers for Disease Control, the Pasteur Institute, and Massachusetts General Hospital. She has published on a range of topics, including obesity education in medical school and cell signaling in glucose metabolism. She finished her medical training in Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins as Chief Resident. She is currently an emergency physician and the Assistant Medical Director at Johns Hopkins Capacity Optimization.

Ben Kozak became an Associate at Close Concerns in 2010 after graduating from Pomona College magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Biology. At Close Concerns, Ben specialized in type 1 and type 2 diabetes drug development. He served as Co-Managing Editor for the diabetes patient newsletter diaTribe, and through this role, Ben co-authored a patient-centered book on type 1 diabetes cure research entitled "Targeting a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes: How Long Will We Have to Wait?" With other members of the Close Concerns team, Ben also contributed articles quarterly to the Journal of Diabetes on topics related to diabetes and obesity drug development and public health, with a particular emphasis on Asia. Ben earned his MD degree from UCSF School of Medicine in 2016. He completed his internal medicine internship at Kaiser San Francisco Hospital. He is now training to be a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. In his spare time, Ben is an avid sports fan and loves to play tennis and golf.

Martin Kurian joined Close Concerns in 2018 after graduating from Princeton University with a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a minor in Engineering Biology. As an undergraduate, he was heavily involved in scientific research that focused on the physical mechanisms that cells use to organize their contents. This research culminated in a senior thesis project on using optogenetic tools to study the assembly and dynamics of germ granules in the model organism C. elegans. He also enjoyed leading freshman orientation trips based on environmental service projects and dancing with the Princeton NAACHO dance company. In his free time, Martin enjoys playing basketball, watching basketball, and reading about basketball. Martin started at the Perelman School of Medicine in the Fall of 2020.

Brian Levine joined Close Concerns in 2016 after graduating magna cum laude from Williams College with highest honors in Biology and a concentration in Neuroscience. He worked in various neurobiology labs during the summers of his undergraduate career and during his semester in Spain, studied the molecular mechanisms that regulate peripheral nerve development and repair. Brian completed his senior thesis at Williams using optogenetics to investigate the effect of hypothalamic hunger circuit activation on sleep/wake architecture. Outside of the scientific realm, Brian is an avid drummer and music aficionado, enjoys traveling, and cheering on the UConn basketball teams.